The present invention relates to a method for preparing a delayed release encapsulated carbohydrate composition in solid or liquid particulate form for use in snacks, candies and confections, dessert mixes, granola bars, energy bars, various beverages, shelf stable powders, ready to eat foods such as puddings, frozen yogurts, ice creams, frozen novelties; cereals, snacks, meal replacements, baked goods, pasta products, confections, military rations, specially formulated foods for children, and specialized gastric enteral feeding formulations. In addition to human foods, the invention is also useful in pet foods and animal feeds.
In the preparation of various foodstuffs and other ingested items, such as vitamins, drugs and the like, such foodstuffs having been encapsulated to provide a delayed release flavor, medicinal action or the like. As stated above, the subject invention relates to an encapsulated and coated metabolizable carbohydrate composition which has a controlled release upon ingestion whereby the carbohydrates are slowly released into the body's digestive tract. This delayed release action can be very helpful in counteracting the effects of diseases, such as diabetes which is characterized by a raised glucose concentration in the blood due to a deficiency or diminished effectiveness of insulin. The disease is chronic and also affects the metabolism of fat and protein. In general, some cases can be controlled by diet alone while others require diet and insulin, and for still others control with drugs is needed.
When controlling the effects of diabetes in humans and other mammals with diet, the diabetic is advised to control the timing of meals and snacks, control the composition of the food, and monitor the caloric content of the food. The diabetic who eats a high-calorie, high-carbohydrate meal will experience elevated blood glucose levels one-half to one hour after ingestion. To minimize this effect, a physician normally counsels his patient to distribute the carbohydrate load over several spaced snacks and meal occasions. A non-diabetic person could eat a high carbohydrate/caloric meal and the carefully modulated insulin response of his body will maintain the blood glucose levels within normal ranges of 70-120 mg/dl. A diabetic who has impaired insulin metabolic controls has to rely on external control mechanisms, i.e., the timing of meals, the composition of the meals, and the caloric density of the meals. For the more severe cases of diabetes, drugs have been developed which modulate the blood glucose response by interfering with the enzymes which break down starch or sugar in the upper G.I. tract. The effect is to prolong the digestion and absorption of glucose as food traverses the G.I. tract.
Other reasons exist for modulating the blood glucose response, such as the demands of exercise, nutrition, weight control, strenuous working conditions, and the like.